Wisconsin ranks first in snap pea production.

Wisconsin ranks tenth in the nation for both onion and cabbage production.

23% of the nation’s carrots are grown in Wisconsin.

595,000 tons of WI sweet corn were processed last year.

Wisconsin grew over 23 percent of the nation’s green peas for processing in2011.

Wisconsin grew 27,000 tons of cucumbers for pickles last year.

Tomatoes come in every color except for blue!  You can find them in red, orange, yellow, green and purple.

Wisconsin fish farming is very diverse – raising trout, yellow perch, and bluegill for food; walleye, northern pike, muskie and bass for stocking; and minnows for bait.

Wisconsin’s top aquaculture products are bait fish, trout and game fish.

Wisconsin ranks 20th in the nation for aquaculture products, but is number one out of the nine Midwestern states.

There are 95 farms that process fish for human consumption in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin’s aquaculture industry is mostly comprised of family run farms, providing441jobs to the state.

Aquaculture contributes $21 million in economic activity to Wisconsin.

During the month of  May, we celebrate National Beef Month.

Raising beef cattle is the single largest segment of American agriculture.

The U. S. produces 20 percent of the world’s beef with 7 percent of the cattle.

90 percent of cow herds have less than100cows, with the average beef cattle herd being44 head.

By-products of cattle include: paint, soap, cosmetics and perfume.

Cheese is a concentrated source of the nutrients found in milk. It is an excellent source of dietary calcium for adults, a key nutrient for building strong bones and teeth and preventing osteoporosis.

In Wisconsin, 1200 cheese makers produce over 600 varieties of cheese, making more than any other state or nation.

Wisconsin was the first state to grade cheese for quality and the only state with an advanced training program to help cheesemakers become truly masters of their craft.

Wisconsin cheese wins more awards than any U. S. state or nation in the world.

Wisconsin is the only producer of Limburger cheese in the country.

Colby cheese was invented in Colby,Wisconsinin1885.

4 million pounds of honey were produced in Wisconsin last year.

Out of 20,000 species of bees, only 4 make honey.

It takes 12 honey bees to make 1 tablespoon of honey.

Honeybee workers must visit 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey.

There are540,379 FFA members, aged 12-21 in the nation.

Nearly 30 percent of today’s farmers and ranchers have attended college, with over half of this group obtaining a degree. A growing number of today’s farmers and ranchers with four-year college degrees are pursuing post-graduate studies.

Agriculture and related industries provide 21 million Americans with jobs.

17 percent of the civilian workforce is involved in some facet of American agriculture.

Agriculture is the nation’s largest employer.

10% of Wisconsin’s total employment is related to agriculture.

Precision farming practices boost crop yields and reduces waste by using satellite maps and computers.

Today’s farmers produce262percent more food with 2 percent fewer inputs (labor, seeds, feed, fertilizer) compared with1950.

Wisconsin dairy farmers lead the nation in creating bio-energy.

Without crop protectants, up to 40 percent of the world’s crop production would be lost.

Technology advances will be needed to help us produce 70% of the food we will need in 50 years.

There are 2.2 million farms across America’s rural landscape. About 97 percent of these U. S. farms are operated by families- individuals, family partnerships or family corporations.

1.2 billion acres are devoted to farming in the U. S.

The average American farmer is 57 years old and produces enough food for 155 people each year and runs 195 acres.

With the population expected to grow by 40% in the next few decades, farmers will need to grow as much food in the next 50 year, as they did in the past 10,000 years combined.

The U. S. is the third largest grower of raspberries in the world.

The U. S. supplies more than 70 percent of the world’s mint supply.

Strawberries are grown in every state.

Most grapes grown in Wisconsin are used to make wine.

Bean pods can be green, yellow, purple, or speckled with red.

Red bell peppers have more than twice the vitamin C of a green pepper.

The most popular sweet pepper in the U. S. is bell peppers.